Gender-Sensitive Labour Inspection System launched

Islamabad: Among total 361 labour inspectors around the country, only 10 are women, with four in Punjab, three in Sindh, two in Balochistan and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Such eye-opening statistics and detailed gender-segregated data related to labour rights in Pakistan, which was almost impossible to approach in recent past, is now swiftly available at the Gender-Sensitive Labour Inspection System (GSIS) website.
Developed under Promoting Gender Equality for Decent Employment (GE4DE), an International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) project, funded by Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) Canada, the GSIS system is aimed at mainstreaming gender in labour inspection system. The system was formally launched on Wednesday.
The Canadian High Commissioner Heather Cruden presided over the event proceedings. Country Director ILO Francesco d’Ovidio, Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Khizar Hayat, Secretary Labour Department Baluchistan Naseer Baluch, Secretary Labour Department KPK Zafar Iqbal and Secretary Labour Department Punjab Ishrat Ali were also present at the launching ceremony along with numerous dignitaries from diplomatic community and UN departments.
The GSIS is a project that will institutionalise and digitalise Gender Responsive Labour Inspection Toolkit (GRLIT). The existing GRLIT inspection procedure is computerised and available to all concerns stakeholders including inspectors and management of labour departments.